Bromont, Quebec  – Today the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada announced a $178 million grant to the Université de Sherbrooke for the establishment of a state-of-the-art microelectronics innovation center to be located in Bromont, Quebec, the semiconductor manufacturing capital of Canada.

The purpose of the project, supported by $83 million from the Canadian Government and $95 million from the Quebec government, is to create a global center of excellence for research and innovation in 200mm based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and 3D Wafer Level Packaging (WLP) as well as advanced technologies associated with the assembly and packaging of silicon chips.

DALSA is excited to be a founding partner in the innovation center along with IBM Canada and Université de Sherbrooke. The initial founding partners, along with various semiconductor equipment suppliers, and others that may join at a later date, will provide financial and in-kind support to the project for ongoing operations.

As a founding partner, DALSA, one of the world’s fastest growing suppliers of MEMS foundry services, will assist in the design of the center, and take a lead role in the specification, installation and ongoing operational responsibility for the MEMS and WLP related equipment, which will be among the most advanced in the world for 200 mm MEMS and 3D WLP processing. The prime purpose of the innovation center is to leverage the best from the Canadian and international research community to address industry’s most challenging problems. The end goal is technology transfer as well as development of spinoffs. The center has already received letters of interest from universities, research centers and other industrial partners from across Canada and around the world.

To read the text of the official announcement, visit one of these sites:
• Quebec Premier's Website: http://www.premier-ministre.gouv.qc.ca/salle-de-presse/communiques/2009/septembre/2009-08-01-en.shtml

• Industry Canada’s Knowledge Infrastructure Program
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ic1.nsf/eng/h_04278.html

For more information on DALSA’s involvement in the Microelectronics Innovation Center visit:
http://www.dalsa.com/semi/technology/researchcenter.aspx  

About DALSA Corporation
DALSA is an international leader in high performance digital imaging and semiconductors with approximately 1000 employees world-wide. Established in 1980, the Company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets digital imaging products and solutions, in addition to providing semiconductor products and services. DALSA's core competencies are in specialized integrated circuit and electronics technology, software, and highly engineered semiconductor wafer processing. Products and services include image sensor components (CCD and CMOS); electronic digital cameras; vision processors; image processing software; and semiconductor wafer foundry services for use in MEMS, high-voltage semiconductors, image sensors and mixed-signal CMOS chips. DALSA is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “DSA” and has its corporate offices in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Trade Media Contact:
Maria Doyle
Red Javelin Communications, Inc.
[email protected]
781-964-3536

Investors Relations Contact:
Patrick Myles
Vice President, Corporate Communications
DALSA Corporation
Tel: (519) 886-6001 Ext. 2177
Fax: (519) 886-3972
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: http://www.dalsa.com